Crank-hanger for bicycles and the like.



s. W. FORD. i CRANK HANGER POE BIGYGLES AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILEDAUG. 8, 1913.

1,088,140. Patented Feb.24,1914

SHELLEY W. FORD, OF.` CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.`

CRANK-HANGER FOR BICYCLES ANI) 'TI-IE LIKE.

Specication of Letters Patent.

y.Patented Feb. 24C, 1914.

Application led August 8, 1913. Serial No. 783,726.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, SHELLEY W. FORD, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Chicago, county of Cook,and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Crank-Hangers for Bin cycles and the like, of which the following isa specification, and which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings,forming a part thereof.

The invention relates to frames for bicycles, motorcycles, and the likeand contemplates improvements in the construction of the crank hangerand in the manner of uniting the same with the adjacent parts of theframe.

Among the objects of the invention are to secure greater strength andrigidity in the frame; to provide an improved support for the crankshaft and to effect a more uniform distribution of the strains upon theseveral arts.

p 1n the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a det-ail perspective view ofa bicycle frame embodying the features of improvement provided by theinvention, and Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken centrally through thecrank hanger and showing details of the crank shaft and the relativeposition of the bearings which may be provided therefor.

In carrying out the invention a crank hanger 10 of the usual tubularform but comprising two non-connecting sections, as 11, and 12, ispreferably employed. The crank shaft is shown at 13, in Fig. 2. Thiscrank shaft will desirably extend through both sections of the hanger10, and is provided with the usual cranks as 14, 15, upon its oppositeends. rJ'he driving sprocket 16 is mounted upon the crank shaft 13,between the two sections 11 and 12 of the hanger, its hub, 17,preferably substantially lling the space between such parts. Thisarrangement permits of the use of ball bearings conventionally shown at18 and 19 upon opposite sides of the sprocket wheel 16. These ballbearings will preferably be located adjacent the lopposite ends of thecrank shaft 13. As shown, the ball bearings 18, are mounted in the usualposition at one end of the hanger 10. rllhe ball bearings 19 are locatedupon the opposite side of the driv ing sprocket 16, from the ballbearings 18, by being mounted in the section 12 of the hanger. Ifdesired, a third set of ball bearings, as 20, may be provided. These aredesirably symmetrically positioned with the ball bearings 19, in respectto the driving vsprocket 16 and are accordingly located atthe inner endof the section 11 of the hanger.

The usual upright and forwardly inclined frame members are shown at 21and 22. The rear fork is shown at 23. The frame members 21 and 22 arelocated in the median plane of the frame and are united with the section11 of the hanger 10, as by the use of tubular nipples 2/1 and 25 formedupon the latter. The rear fork 23 comprises two arms as 26 and 27located upon opposite sides of the median plane of the frame.Preferably, only one of the arms, as 26 of the vrear fork 23, will bedirectly connected with the section 11 of the hanger. As shown, the arm26 is inwardly offset adjacent its forward end in the usual manner andis united with the section 11 of the hanger by means of a tubular nipple28 formed upon the latter.

A plurality of supplemental frame members or stays, as 29, 30 and 31 arepro-vided for supporting the outer section 12 of the hanger. Each ofthese supplemental frame members or stays are shown as being of angularform and one is located in a plane with each of the three main framemembers, as the upright member 21, the forwardly inclined member 22 andthe rear fork 23. Each supplemental frame member is united with theouter section 12 of the hanger at one of its ends and extends outwardlytherefrom beyond the rim of the driving sprocket 16. These supplementalframe members then extend inwardly about the driving sprocket, themember 29 being united with the upright 21, as at 32, the member 30being united with the forwardly inclined part 22, as at 33, and the part3l being united with the arms 26 and 27 of the rear fork 23, as at 311and 35. When only one of the arms, as 26, of the rear fork 23 isdirectly connected with the section 11, of the hanger, as shown, theother arm, as 27, of the rear fork 23, terminates at its point ofconnection with the supplemental frame member or stay 31.

The construction insures additional strength in the frame at the pointof connection of the parts 21, 22 and 23 with the hanger 10 and providesa symmetrical support for the driving sprocket 16. When the intermediateball bearings, as 20, are employed, the thrust of the driving sprocket16, is equally divided between bearings located upon opposite sides ofthe sprocket and all tendency to flex the crank shaft 13, is avoided. Asymmetrical arrangement of `the parts 1S, 19 with reference to the twoVbetween them and one of said parts intersecting the median plane of theframe,

2. A bicycle frame comprising, in combination, a pair of tubular memberslocated in axial alinement and forming a two-parthanger, the said twopart-s of the hanger being longitudinally spaced apart to receive adriving sprocket between them, upright and forwardly inclined membersanda rear fork, all symmetrically disposed with respect to the medianplane of the frame and each directly united with one of said parts ofthe hanger, and a plurality of lateral stays each connecting the otherpart of the hanger With one of said symmetrically disposed members, eachof the said stays being so formed as to provide for the turning of thesprocket Vbetween the partswhich it connects.V

3. In a bicycle, in combination, a lframe comprising upright, forwardlyinclined and v rear fork members and a horizontal tubular member, thelast-named member intersecting the median plane of the frame and beingdirectly united with each of the first three named parts, a drivingsprocket located at one side of said horizontal tubular member, a crankshaft carrying the said driving sprocket, said crank shaft extendinglaterally in both directions from the sprocket and one o-f its partsbeing journaled in the said horizontal tubular member, and a journalbearing for that part of the crank shaft Which is beyond the sprocketfrom the said horizontal tubular member, said journal bearing beingrigidly connected to the frame.

4. In combination, a bicycle frame comprising a pair of tubular memberslocated in axial alinement and forming a two part hanger, the parts ofthe hanger being longitudinally spaced apart and one of themintersecting the median plane of the frame, a driving sprocket turningbet-Ween the said parts of the hanger, a crank shaft extending throughboth of the said parts of the hanger and carrying the said sprocket andball bear ings for the crank shaft located in three dierent planes, twoof said planes being 1ocated intermediate the ends of that part of thehanger Which intersects the'median plane of the frame and on oppositesides of said plane and the third one of said planes being locatedintermediate the ends of the other part of the hanger.

SHELLEY W'. FORD.

Witnesses:

JOHN T. HUGHES, F. D. HORNER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Iatents. Washington, D. C.

